4 wheel or 2 wheel F-150 or Chevy 1500??

[Murdock]

I am in the market for a used 1/2 ton extended cap truck. (Ford or Chevy). I drive approx 50 miles round trip to and from work within the Twin Cities Metro area. I have found the 4X2s to be less expensive, obviously, but need to keep in mind the following. I have a 16 foot Lund Rebel that is looking to be towed by something a little bigger than a mini-van with a 3.3 liter engine. Almost all of the lakes I fish have ramps that do not require a 4X4 and want to get the best gas milage I can.
Will a 4X2 get better gas milage than a 4X4?
If yes, what milage can I expect.(City and highway).
Will a 4X2 be able to tow up to 2000 without a problem?(I tow the Rebel up to 150 miles quite often).
I've received some great info from this web site and am hoping the replies you give will help make this decision.
Thanks in advance for your knowledge and/or opinions.!!!!

[Grabs]

When you say used what year and price range are you looking at?

Reason I mention this is unless you are planning to purchase this vehicle in full, you may be better off, speaking in terms of monthly payment, buying a new one with all the incentives that are on the market now.

Plus with the amount of travel you do it seems gas mileage is important to you. Well, a 5 year old truck isn't going to get close to the gas mileage of the new ones on the road today. I think this is going to be a bigger difference then comparing 2WD and 4WD trucks of the same year class.

Just some things to consider. If you are potentially planning to pay for something in full then I know of a few newer Chevs that are for sale that may meet your needs.

[bigdog]

A 4x2 will get better gas milage and should handle that boat with no trouble. I had a 4x2 chevy and trailed a heavier rig with no troubles. Don't know what the newer 4x2's do for milage. My 1985 got 16-17 on highway.
I have a 97 3/4 ton chevy 8' box 4x4 gets 12mpg when trailering and in city, maybe 14 on the highway.

[Benny]

If your after just gas mileage than the Chevy may be a better choice, if your going to buy a newer truck any way.
If you want towing power and a fair mileage truck get the Ford, they always seem to have more torque for the towing.They don't get teriable mileage usualy with in a few MPG of the Chevy's .
As for 4X4 vs.2X4 , if you don't need to go through lots of snow ,mud or up steep ramps get a 2wd truck.A good set of tires on a 2wd will go places a 4X4 can't go if it has bad tires, I used to drive nothing but 2wd's never had a problem if I didn't try to go where it just couldn't.

One more note to consider,the newer six cylinder engines have a lot more horse power than they did just a few years back, and they genearly get a lot better mileage.

Benny

P.S Buy the Ford, out of 20 years of owning them I only had one lemon that was an 84 2wd with the 300 six.

[Kevin Turner]

I had two '01 Super Crew F150's for delivering boats.
I loved both of them and had no problems.
That being said, the Chevy 1500's we use now, with the 5300 engine gets better milage towing my boats and doesn't downshift as much as the Fords did.
The Chevy,s have also been reliable.
Good luck with your choice!

[iffwalleyes]

Now I am a Chevy Guy and I am not going to go into what Benny said about fords getting better fuel mileage with a 4X4. All I know is that at work we have a 99 with a 302 for and when ever something is pulled behind it it gets not better than 10 MPG.

I myself have a 2002 Z71 and I get 16 mpg highway and 12-13 mpg towing a Explore boat which is simliar to what you have.

With that said as far as 4X2 to 4X4 I couldn't live with out a 4X4 but I realize not everyone is like me. I do a lot of ice fishing and if I didn't have a 4X4 I couldn't ever get on a lake. I also have to use my truck for work and I would have to say that with a lot of the places I take my truck you couldn't even consider with a 4X2. But whether to get a 4x4 or 4x2 I wouldn't let the little difference in fuel mileage affect my decision. If you think you will use the 4x4 get it if not don't. Good luck with your decision.

One more plug for a chevy if you are looking at a extended cab you have lots more room in a Chevy than a Ford like 4 inch more. It may not seem like much until you are crammed in the back of a Ford and then go to a Chevy. I am sold on Chevy and will never buy anything else so I am bias.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[Fisher Dave]

My dad picked up a 96 Suburban 4x4 1/2 ton last year and it gets about 18-20 MPG on the highway with the vortec 350.. the mileage has never noticably dropped from pulling heavy loads... in fact most of the time you cant even tell your pulling anything unless you look in the mirror. They are truely awesome pulling machines, and better average gas mileage than my Jeep Cherokee ..

4 wheel drive is not a neccessity unless you are going offroad on occasion, dealing with bad ramps .. or driving in a bad winter in Minnesota... obviously winter does not make it a neccessity, but its sure nice to have, and can actually save gas if being stuck is a factor (burn more gas stuck in a snowbank for 5 minutes than running it over in the 1st place).

The 4 wheel drive also has a better resale value.

Personally, I have not had great luck with fords overall, but I have had a couple decent ones. If I had to make a choice, I would stick to Chevy.

[Benny]

iffwalleyes, Please re read my post!I never stated the Ford 4x4 gets better mileage than the Chevy,in fact I stated they get worst mileage than a Chevy.The Fords didn't have the 302 in 99, just till 96.

I get 17 MPG at 65 mph pulling a 1995 lund explorer with a 40 hp merc. And it wont down shift at the first wind gust either.In fact,I don't even have to take it out of OD to pull the boat.

My 1992 F150 sc 4x4 with the 302 fi got 15 mpg pulling the same boat package.Just not at 65 mph but at 55 mph.That truck did not like any thing over 60 mph for gas mileage.

Benny

[This message has been edited by Benny (edited 07-02-2003).]

[iffwalleyes]

I stand corrected Benny and am sorry I misread your post. I know they didn't have the 302 but it is what ever the equivalent engine is to that one what is it now like a 4.8 liter.

Everyone has there opinions but I wouldn't trade my Chevy with the 5.3 for anything other than the new Chevy with a Duramax.

Just one other comment who ever says that Ford are the best price trucks are right but that same person hasn't ever been to that parts stores because it doesn't hold true there.

once again Benny I am sorry for misreading your post.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[Dano2]

What ever you do dont get a dodge.
I have a 2000 ram quad cab, and i think most of us here know what kind of mileage I'm getting, heh.

After owning a 4x4 several years I would never go without.

My next truck. GMC 2500 HD duramax

I love the chevs. too, but I like the fron t end of the GMC more.

[Guest]

I love all my Fords I've owned, always been excellent vehicles. I can't tell you how many times (almost every boat launch this year) I have had to switch the 4x4 into gear to get my boat out of the water. The water levels have been low on my area lakes and my rear tires always have to practically go under water to get the boat on the trailer. Then I get stuck.

Then again, maybe it's just a "Ford" thing.

Buy a 4x4. Easier resale, about the same mileage and very nice in the winter months. More money of course, but it's worth it IMO.

I have the '97 F150 5.4L Ext. cab and these engines/powertrains are very strong. I pull skidsteers, my heavy 17' boat with a pick-up camper, snowmobiles, etc... If you can put it on a trailer, I'm sure I can pull it

Fords have better powertrains from mechanics I've talked to. Mileage on mine is around 15 mpg empty, 12 towing.

Chevy's do get better gas mileage, but I have more power!! LOL!

[Gissert]

A couple of guys have mentioned the Chevy/Duramax option.

If you can afford it, diesel is a great way to go. They are more money up front, but the resale is great. 4WD is not necessary, but I'll never go without it.

I went diesel in late 2000, and have never looked back. I drive back and forth from the Fergus Falls area to the Twin Cities every week. I put on roughly 650 miles a week. At that rate I was going through a gas engine about every four years.

I have the Dodge 2500 with the the Cummins inline six with a six speed manual transmission. That engine has incredible pulling power from idle up to about 2500 RPM. On summer blend fuel, I average 19.5 mpg unloaded, and about 18 towing up to about 4000 lbs. Winter blend fuel is 1-2 mpg less.

Winter starting has been no problem.

I looked at Chevy and Ford diesels, and found them to be high quality units also. I just liked the Cummins engine better.

After 94000 miles, I have been extremely happy with this truck. I am on a quest to see if I can go 500,000 miles.

Prior to that I drove a Ford Bronco with the 302 that was a very good tow vehicle. I still have it. Right now, it has about 275,000 miles, having gone 195,000 on the first motor.

The wife drives a 1990 Chevy K1500 withthe 350. It has been a great vehicle also, and now has 150,000 on the clock.

I bought a 1987 F150 new with the 302. That thing was never quite right, and I had a lot of trouble with that truck. After 110,000 I traded it in on the Bronco and never regretted it.